Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gladstone Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne and Gladstone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Melbourne versus $2,267 in Gladstone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,579 in Melbourne versus $3,110 in Gladstone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,742 in Melbourne versus $3,953 in Gladstone.

Living in Melbourne is roughly 7% more expensive than Gladstone, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melbourne 80% above, Gladstone 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.75 A$28.03

$16.51 A$23.44

19.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 A$112

$79.3 A$113

-0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 A$13.77

$9.85 A$13.98

-1.52%

Cappuccino

$3.66 A$5.20

$3.35 A$4.75

9.25%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 A$3.69

$2.62 A$3.73

-0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 A$3.33

$2.12 A$3.01

10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.17 A$10.18

$6.58 A$9.34

8.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 A$9.91

$7.20 A$10.23

-2.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.06

$1.49 A$2.11

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 A$3.78

$2.35 A$3.34

13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.32

$2.03 A$2.87

15.27%

Eggs

$4.80 A$6.82

$4.28 A$6.07

12.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.77 A$12.44

$8.37 A$11.88

4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 A$13.39

$8.23 A$11.68

14.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 A$20.47

$13.53 A$19.21

6.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 A$4.73

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 A$3.94

$2.83 A$4.01

-2.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.26

$2.86 A$4.05

4.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 A$5.60

$4.02 A$5.70

-1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.80

$2.48 A$3.52

8.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.34

$2.16 A$3.07

9.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 A$3.03

$2.18 A$3.10

-1.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 A$2.31

$1.53 A$2.17

6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.44 A$46.05

$30.88 A$43.83

5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 A$20.02

$14.10 A$20.01

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.64 A$6.59

$4.59 A$6.52

1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 A$7.15

$5.37 A$7.62

-6.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 A$4.96

$2.53 A$3.59

37.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$120 A$170

$64.3 A$91.3

86.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 A$4.97

$3.59 A$5.10

-2.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 A$1.91

$1.57 A$2.22

-14.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 A$38.24

$33.47 A$47.51

-19.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.69

$1.15 A$1.63

3.48%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.4K A$41.8K

$29.2K A$41.4K

0.76%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.6K A$33.5K

$22.3K A$31.6K

5.81%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$150 A$213

$185 A$262

-18.88%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.16 A$30.03

$25.52 A$36.22

-17.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 A$71.4

$50.9 A$72.2

-1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.14 A$69.8

$48.82 A$69.3

0.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 A$23.24

$15.90 A$22.57

2.96%

Cinema Ticket

$16.43 A$23.33

$12.78 A$18.14

28.56%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,764 A$2,503

$1,607 A$2,281

9.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K A$27.2K

$12.0K A$17.1K

59.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 A$96.9

$68.2 A$96.7

0.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 A$75.6

$50.0 A$71.0

6.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 A$151

$99.7 A$141

6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$148

$107 A$152

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 A$2,232

$1,244 A$1,765

26.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 A$1,696

$1,078 A$1,530

10.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 A$4,326

$1,245 A$1,767

144.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 A$2,824

$1,362 A$1,933

46.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,387 A$10.5K

$6,497 A$9,221

13.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,527 A$9,265

$4,498 A$6,385

45.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,512 A$6,405

$5,785 A$8,211

-22.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

6.34

-2.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Melbourne: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gladstone: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in Melbourne and $1,244 in Gladstone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gladstone pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Melbourne vs $79.0 in Gladstone. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $336, with Gladstone cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Melbourne vs Gladstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gladstone wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Melbourne. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gladstone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gladstone earns 28% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,572 in Melbourne versus $1,244 in Gladstone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,416 per month in Melbourne versus $2,267 in Gladstone – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gladstone runs roughly 87% less than in Melbourne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,267 in Gladstone versus $2,416 in Melbourne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gladstone but tight or insufficient in Melbourne. The gap between the two cities makes Gladstone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Melbourne and Gladstone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gladstone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Melbourne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.